Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Carlos Ghosn could be released. The former Nissan chairman was granted bail by a Japanese court on Tuesday, though prosecutors are appealing the decision.
Meng Wanzhou goes to court. Huawei’s embattled CFO will appear before a judge in Vancouver, where she filed a civil suit claiming she was unlawfully detained by Canada on behalf of the US.
Australia releases its GDP. Analysts suspect the country’s economy ground to a halt in the fourth quarter due to plunging house prices and a slowdown of exports to China.
While you were sleeping
Explosives were found near three London transit hubs. The suspicious packages were sent to Heathrow Airport, London City Airport, and Waterloo train station. All three devices were deemed viable by police, and one burst into flames, but no one was injured.
GE warned of a negative cash flow. CEO Larry Culp caused a 5% drop in shares after announcing his projection for the company’s industrial free cash flow in 2019. He also expects a grim couple of years before GE’s power unit is ready to shine again.
Tesla resolved its Chinese customs hang-up. Authorities held 1,600 Model 3s earlier this week, sending the automaker’s stock tumbling. Tesla blamed a printing error on its customs labels, and said the problem had been fixed.
Anheuser-Busch InBev’s chairman stepped down. Olivier Goudet, whose joint role as CEO of drinks giant JAB had raised concerns about a conflict of interest, said he would resign (paywall) from his role chairing the world’s biggest brewer.
Tencent disappointed child gamers. In an effort to get ahead of a growing concern over the influence of gaming on young minds, the Chinese tech conglomerate began rolling out a program that would require parental assent before gamers under 13 can play titles like “Arena of Valor.”
Membership
Hi Quartz members! Today we have an exclusive interview with the UK’s former representative to the EU on the roots of Brexit. We also have a new business book primer on advertising, as well as a new Private Key column.
Quartz Obsession
Mate: The beloved drink that encourages enthusiasts to slow down and connect with others is finally getting its digital due. A team of Argentinians petitioned Unicode for the addition of a mate emoji, which will be rolling out across platforms in the coming months. Read all about the tradition, and the process of pitching a new emoji, in today’s Quartz Obsession.
Matters of debate
Join the conversation with the new Quartz app!
Facebook’s planned cryptocurrency could democratize banking. A digital coin for WhatsApp could be pegged to a basket of global currencies.
Elon Musk and NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine are the space industry’s odd couple. The pair are touting public-private partnerships to get US astronauts back into space.
The Democratic presidential primary has no room for billionaires. Michael Bloomberg says he won’t run, while warning candidates not to shift too far to the left.
Surprising discoveries
Goldman Sachs downgraded its dress code. The banking giant, once known for its formal “white shoe” reputation, said it would permit casual clothing when “appropriate.”
The FBI is doubling its ad budget because it can’t attract enough new agents. Applications have fallen from 68,500 in 2009 to 11,500 last year.
Old people in the US are watching an enormous amount of TV. The average person aged 65 or older spends more than four hours a day in front of the tube.
Harley-Davidson is branching out into e-bikes for kids. It acquired a company called StaCyc that makes toddler-ready bikes to “provide an entry point for the youngest riders.”
Amazon has been funneling charitable donations to anti-vaccine organizations. Innocuously named groups like “National Vaccine Information Center” receive money through the AmazonSmile program.
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, FBI applications, and appropriately casual clothing to hi@qz.com. Join the next chapter of Quartz by downloading our app and becoming a member. Today’s Daily Brief was written and edited by Adam Pasick and Susan Howson.